Kidney care model uses nurse practitioners to track patients
SEATTLE: A new care model underway by pharmacy company CVS and health care insurer Aetna is using nurse practitioners stationed at pharmacies across the country to identify and manage patients with chronic kidney disease.
Intervention with social workers, dietitians and other support staff would still occur under the direction of a nephrologist, Bruce Culleton, MD, vice president and chief medical officer for CVS Kidney Care, said. He offered details on the program at the Innovations in Dialysis: Expediting Advances Symposium here.
“The goal is not to have nurses replace nephrologists … we want the nephrologist to work with patients to identify their comorbidities, talk about what is important to their care [and] help them connect with social workers and dietitians,” he said.
CVS launched the new care model last April in six geographic markets, working with 11 health plans and about 4,700 patients with CKD 4 through 5, Culleton said.
The program is also tied to development of a new home hemodialysis (HHD) machine called the Hemacare. The first patient in the anticipated 2-year clinical trial is expected to begin treatment at home this week.
